Davies on target again for improving Bolton

Craig Davies netted his fifth goal of the season to maintain Bolton’s perfect home record under new manager Neil Lennon with a 1-0 Skybet Championship victory at the Macron Stadium.

The much-travelled striker tapped in from six yards after 67 minutes as Huddersfield’s winless streak extends to four games.

Liam Feeney and Max Clayton engineered the chance and Davies, one of the players to flourish since Lennon’s arrival at the club, did the rest with his third goal in five outings.

Wanderers, unbeaten in November, have won four times at the Macron under Lennon, scoring 10 goals and conceding only two in reply.

But Huddersfield will look to two crucial saves from Andy Lonergan as major turning points in a game that often struggled to come to life. The former Preston and Leeds goalkeeper denied Nakhi Wells and Jacob Butterfield either side of half time before Davies struck.

Bolton were unchanged from the 1-1 draw at Blackpool last weekend while Huddersfield made four changes to their starting line-up from the previous 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday including Alex Smithies’ recall in goal for Joe Murphy.

Prior to kick-off both sets of supporters observed an impeccable minute’s silence for Roy Hartle, the former Bolton defender and member of the 1958 FA Cup winning team who died earlier this month, aged 83.

Huddersfield settled the better of the teams but it was Wanderers who almost opened the scoring through in-form Davies.

Darren Pratley was the architect with an excellent left wing cross, Davies swung his left boot at the centre only to see the ball smash off the crossbar and back into play.

Former Welsh international Davies proved a real handful for Town’s defence and Mark Hudson in particular. The two clashed after 31 minutes with Davies appealing for a penalty after sent tumbling on the edge of the area.

Hudson was booked for his clumsy challenge but Huddersfield escaped with only a free kick wasted by Liam Feeney.

Davies tried his luck from distance with a drive easily saved by Smithies while Town finally came to life in three minutes of stoppage time. Ex-Bradford favourite Wells brought a great save out of Lonergan and then fired wide moments later as Town finished the half on top.

They also started the second period the best and but for Lonergan would have taken the lead. Sean Scannell seized on a Tim Ream error to race down the Wanderers right

His cross into the six yard box was met by former Wanderers loan star Butterfield, but Lonergan blocked the midfielder’s close range effort. Grant Holt poked another effort narrowly wide before Davies broke the stalemate from eight yards against the run of play.